Drivers

[telboy1938]

Hi Guys..I really need your help. My Packard Bell MZ36-T015 running Windows XP Professional is causing concern. In fact I believe a complete format is my only option. I know I should save drivers etc before booting from disc but I seem unable to do so as allprogrammes just freeze. I know (from previous help received) that you guys out thare can tell me how to download allrequired drivers for my laptop to my PC and transfer them to my laptop via a pen-drive after re-boot. Thanks in anticipation of your help. Tel

[trish432]

Have you tried driver max, it`s free and easy to use. I used it, after advice from here, before formatting. If I remember correctly you click on export drivers, driver max finds all your drivers, then you save them to a folder. I then copied the folder to cd and used this to restore any missing drivers after reinstalling windows.

[trish432]

Sorry, just read your question more thoroughly. just realised your computer isn`t running well enough to do the above. Sorry I can`t help with what you need, but I`m sure someone will, shortly.

[telboy1938]

Hi Trish432, I'm not educated enough in computers (only know how to use them) so maybe your answer would help. My next question to you is how to collect the driverd installed in order to send them to cd? Thanks so far. Tel

[trish432]

Put Drivermax into Google, click the one that says freeware, probably 3rd on list.
Click download (next to home,near the top) Click download again.
After you`ve installed Drivermax, open it up, point to driver operations, then click export drivers.
After it`s finished click select all, then next, then save to documents. It will then show open extraction folder. Do this, then highlight all the shown drivers, click copy (left hand side) You will get a choice of where to copy to. If your cd drive is working ok, I would choose that, just put a blank cd in, then you`ll always have a copy of your drivers.

[telboy1938]

Thank you Trish 432, your a star, Regards Tel

[ACtheTROLL]

when you say reinstall
.... from a recovery cd ... or a straight xp install?

a recovery disc will already have drivers...

it's worth going with trish ... if it works good ... if not you've only wasted a little time.

the only possible drawback is that it could be a driver that's causing the problem?

[telboy1938]

Hi, ACthe TROLL, I have a legit XP Proff disc so I thought the drivers would not be there...Am I correct? Tel

[Brooksy]

Try pressing F8 at bootup BIOS sreen just before Windows starts to load. If you get into Safe Mode, click Start, Run. Type in CHKDSK (may require restart). If that doesn`t work, try booting from the Xp installation CD & choose the Repair option. Formatting is a drastic step not to be undertaken lightly as you will lose all your programs as well as files & have to reinstall Windows of course. The Xp installation disk has drivers for most common hardware on it.

[telboy1938]

Once again my thanks to all you guys. We "dummies" wouldn't know what to do without you. Tel

[ACtheTROLL]

Disagree with brooksy - a new system is a happy system ... a repaired system is an accident waiting to happen (should only be used if you absolutely have no other option.

the basic rule is if the PC was out BEFORE the operating system - the drivers are probably included on the XP CD

after ... you need those drivers (what came with the machine?)
if you don't have drivers on disc
download the latest versions them from
http://support.packardbell.com/uk/item/index.p hp?pn=PB85Q01201&g=2000
burn them to cd (this is the best option ... drivers are updated for a reason ... the latest tends to be the bestest)

boot from the XP CD and delete the system partition
then install xp
once running ... install the drivers .... install your progs

allow about 1 - 1.5 days (longer if this is your first)

[Brooksy]

I totally agree with you Mr Troll about a new system being a happy system, and of course like a rocket compared to what it was with the registry furred up & bits of detritus slowing things up. I do a format & reinstall about every 18 months, using backups or a drive image to restore my personal bibs & bobs, but unless telboy can access his system first to back up , he may lose stuff he may value.

[ACtheTROLL]

brooksy

point took ;-)

(should only be used if you absolutely have no other option)
in that case I'd do as you suggest .... recover files as required .... then crash and burn good and propper.

it's a decent machine .... well worth the effort